How Long Does It Take to Repair the Skin Barrier?​

You may have heard dermatologists and skin experts talking about the skin barrier and its importance for optimal skin health. But what exactly is it and how can you ensure yours is as strong as possible? 

 

Put simply, the skin barrier is our body’s frontline defence against environmental damage and pollutants, so maintaining its health and resilience is crucial for healthy-looking, hydrated skin. Not only does it keep viruses and bacteria out, but it plays an integral function in regulating water loss. This is a process called Transepidermal Water Loss (TEWL) which happens when the skin barrier is compromised and water escapes from the skin. 

 

There are many elements in our environment that can damage the skin barrier - from using harsh skincare and over-exfoliating, to low humidity and changing weather. While it’s not always possible to avoid these things, knowing the causes, symptoms, effective products, and repair time is essential for restoring and maintaining skin barrier health.

 

Read on to learn more about the skin barrier and why it’s integral to calm, hydrated skin.

 

What Is the Skin Barrier?

The skin barrier, or stratum corneum, is the outermost layer of the epidermis. This barrier helps to protect the skin against aggressors in our everyday environment such as pollutants and infection while helping to retain moisture and lipids (fats) that are the building blocks of the skin’s structure. When the barrier functions well, the skin should be well balanced, hydrated and less prone to sensitivity.

 

Causes of Skin Barrier Damage

Unfortunately, there are many factors in our everyday modern environment that can damage the skin barrier. You may also be particularly prone to barrier damage if your skin is sensitive. In these cases, it’s helpful to try and pinpoint your triggers, such as the sun, pets, or even the type of washing detergent you use, and avoid them where possible. You should also ensure you are keeping your barrier strong with the right skincare.

 

Ahead, discover some of the most common causes of skin barrier damage.

• Extremely dry or humid environments
• Air pollution, allergens and irritants
• Excessive sun exposure
• Harsh skincare ingredients, such as retinol
• Overwashing or over exfoliating
• Alkaline detergents and soaps

 

Symptoms of a Compromised Skin Barrier

If you have a damaged skin barrier, your skin may be dry, itchy, red and sensitive. It may also become more prone to conditions such as eczema and acne. The key to managing these symptoms is to understand their cause, and apply skincare that can help the barrier become strong again. 

 

If you aren’t sure what it is that’s affecting your skin barrier, try to keep a skin diary. This may help you to pinpoint the most common causes such as a warm holiday in a tropical climate, or a particularly cold bout of weather where you’re moving from very cold temperatures to warm, central-heated indoor environments. 

 

Using a new skincare product too vigorously can also cause the barrier to become impaired, especially if it contains exfoliants such as glycolic acid or retinol. Make sure you use products like this only once or twice a week at first to help your skin become more tolerant to them. You can then slowly increase your usage once the skin can better tolerate them. You should also always use products like this alongside barrier-strengthening serums and moisturisers that contain ingredients like hyaluronic acid and ceramides. This will ensure your skin barrier is adequately supported.

 

Skin Barrier Restoring Treatment

Repairing the skin barrier requires a gentle approach with skincare that focuses on hydration and protection. You will also need to be consistent and have some patience as it can take a couple of weeks for the skin barrier to return to normal. 

 

Here are some key steps to help heal and strengthen your skin barrier:

 

Step one: Gentle Cleansing

Using a gentle cleanser suitable for your skin type is important. Look for gentle formulas that contain minimal ingredients to avoid stripping the skin of its natural oils and further damaging the barrier. You should also avoid skincare practices such as double cleansing or using cleansing tools during this time as they can further irritate a compromised skin barrier.

 

Step two: Enhance Hydration with a Serum

A serum such as CeraVe Hydrating Hyaluronic Acid Serum containing humectants can help to enhance the hydration in your skin. This is because serums have a low molecular weight which delivers its key hydrating ingredients to the deeper layers of the dermis. 

 

Step three: Apply Very Hydrating Moisturisers

Once you’ve applied a hydrating serum, you should lock in further hydration with a moisturiser containing barrier-repairing ingredients. Products like CeraVe's Advanced Repair Ointment, for instance, are formulated with ceramides and hyaluronic acid which are vital for skin repair. For specifics on products and ingredients containing ceramides, head to CeraVe to discover our full ceramide-rich skincare range.

 

Step four: Incorporate Niacinamide

Products containing nacinamide (Vitamin B3) can help to repair the skin barrier. What’s more, niacinamide is suitable for almost all skin types so it’s ideal for compromised skin.

 

Step five: Be Mindful of Temperature

Very hot temperatures are a common cause of skin stress and damage. Likewise, very cold temperatures can also damage the skin barrier. You can help to avoid this by taking lukewarm showers rather than hot, and avoiding humid environments such as saunas, especially when your skin is compromised and sensitive. You should also protect exposed areas of skin such as the face with a scarf or clothing when you’re outside in very cold temperatures. Applying a skin-barrier cream will also help to protect the skin from its environment.

 

Restoring Skin’s Healthy Appearance

We all go through periods of time when our skin barrier becomes compromised - whether from stress, a change in climate, or from simply using skincare that is too harsh for our skin. But, by understanding the role of the skin barrier and what to do when it becomes damaged, you can help to repair it effectively while avoiding future instances of it happening. 

 

Don’t forget that repairing the skin barrier requires patience and using the right skincare products such as those from CeraVe. When in doubt, strip everything back and keep your routine as simple yet hydrating as possible while your barrier regains strength.